Pair of gloves

By the end of the 19th century, wearing of gloves indoors was declining except for evening dress where they were required accessories. In the 1880s and 1890s, these grew longer, extending over the elbow to the upper arm. The combination of a kid leather hand with a silk net or mesh arm became a popular style. They were cheaper than full leather gloves, easier to pull on and allowed a greater variety of colour and decoration.

These gloves have a standard kid hand which has been sewn to an arm of silk net. The net is appliquéd with silk satin and thread in a design of butterflies. At the top of each arm a silk ribbon is threaded through a series of eyelets in the net.